Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

Do you think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

All university undergraduate courses should include a time period spent studying abroad or doing a work placement. Although this will have certain disadvantages, I think the number of advantages will still outweigh the number of disadvantages, as it encourages students to gain practical skills as the degree ends. Firstly, if universities make it mandatory to either study something from abroad or to do work related internships, it will put pressure on students to explore and do different internships related to the field, which will give them hands on experience too, along with the degree. Therefore by the time their degree emds and they enter the job market , they do no t have to strat from the scratch and they will already be skilled in that particualar field It will also persuade the student to do different types of courses from abroad too, which will help them gain more versatile knowledge of the degree they are studying, as the curriculum in Pakistan is not enough for the student. For instance my classfellow, who did many internships during the degree got the highly paid job in a very big company right after the completion of the degree. On the other hand, it will have certain disadvantages too, as it is not convenient for every student. The cost of studying abroad is very expensive too, and every student can not afford it. Furthermore, managing a job or internship during the degree can be very hectic for a student. In conclusion, although the implentation of this rule will have certain disadvantages, but the positive outcomes it will produce will still outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you believe the benefits of placements and overseas study outweigh the drawbacks. You address both sides and give relevant support, including the example of your classmate obtaining a well-paid job after completing internships. The explanation that practical experience can help graduates enter the job market is also pertinent. However, the two benefits are not developed equally: the point about studying abroad and gaining broader knowledge is asserted rather than explained with a specific example, and the disadvantages receive only brief treatment. Clarify how a placement or overseas study improves learning or employment, and explain how students unable to afford travel could be supported. This would make the response more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a discussion of benefits, a contrasting paragraph on drawbacks, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “For instance,” and “On the other hand” help signal the direction of the argument. However, the benefits are crowded into one long block, making the progression difficult to follow, and the shift from internships to overseas courses could be clearer. Some connections are mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “too” and “which.” Use separate, focused paragraphs for the main benefits and drawbacks, and make each paragraph develop one central idea. Clearer sentence boundaries and more precise referencing would also improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “practical skills,” “hands on experience,” “job market,” “curriculum,” and “internships.” These choices make the main ideas understandable, and there is some attempt to use more specific language than basic everyday terms. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “study something from abroad,” “the number of advantages,” and “start from the scratch.” Spelling errors, including “emds,” “particualar,” and “implentation,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural academic collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, describe students as undertaking an overseas study programme or a work placement, and refer to gaining a competitive advantage in the job market.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including a concessive opening (“Although this will have certain disadvantages”) and a conditional clause (“if universities make it mandatory…”). These structures help express contrast and cause. Some grammatical errors remain, however, and the long sentence beginning “Firstly, if universities…” becomes difficult to control, with several ideas joined without clear punctuation. There are also errors in forms and sentence construction, such as “every student can not afford it” and the conclusion’s “although … but,” where the two contrast markers are redundant. Break up long sentences, use punctuation to separate complete ideas, and review clause structure and agreement. This will make your argument easier to read while preserving the range you are attempting.

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